As the New Year begins, we are working on several projects. The biggest project is Parcel B, a great piece of land in Downtown Naugatuck. We have sent out an RFP to many developers around the State. We will pick a developer who sends us the best project that gives us the transit-oriented development that we want, including a train station and a commercial and residential development.

We continue to work on our Industrial Park. We have one building in the park that is not occupied, and we are working to get that building opened. We are also working on New Haven Road, at the former Megin property. We are working with a developer that will return that iconic building to the Grand List.

The former Naugatuck Glass company, now known as Flabeg, is reorganizing the company with a new owner. NEDC is working with them, and helping to save jobs, and keeping the Company in Naugatuck.

Lastly, congratulations to local attorney Carlos Santos, a member of the Naugatuck Economic Development Corporation Board, who will be honored with A Dibble Award next month!

The Naugatuck Chamber of Commerce will present its 2021 Lewis A. Dibble Sr. Award in February to Attorney Carlos A. Santos, Esq. of Fitzpatrick | Santos | Sousa | Perugini P.C. during its 100^th Annual Meeting and Lewis A. Dibble Award Dinner presented by Ion Bank.

The award, presented annually by the Chamber, recognizes an individual’s outstanding contributions to the business and the socioeconomic well-being of Naugatuck. Santos will receive the award during the Naugatuck Chamber’s 100^th Annual Meeting and Lewis A. Dibble Award Dinner presented by Ion Bank on Thursday, February 24 at the Aria banquet facility, located at 45 Murphy Road in Prospect. The meeting will begin with cocktails at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner and the awards program at 6:30 p.m.

Santos, a Naugatuck native, is a personal injury, criminal law, and real estate lawyer with the firm Fitzpatrick | Santos | Sousa | Perugini P.C., which he joined in 1994. He has argued cases before the Connecticut Superior Court, Connecticut Appellate Court, and the Connecticut Supreme Court. In addition to English, he is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese. Santos has also had a longtime involvement in local commercial and residential real estate development.

The Naugatuck Chamber was organized on Dec. 6, 1921, filed for incorporation on Jan. 31, 1922, and was approved by the Secretary of the State on March 10, 1922. Lewis A. Dibble Sr. was one of the five original incorporators and played an influential role in founding the Chamber. Their mission was to play an active role in the borough by fostering and promoting the business community, sharing accurate and reliable information, urging uniformity in trade, and creating more communication between business owners. Membership dues were seen—as they still are today—as an investment in the present and future of the community. Click the image to the left to read a 1971 article from the Naugatuck Daily News.

This HR Corner is brought to you by Carmody Torrance Sandak & Hennessey LLP. Written by Attorney Nick Zaino and Romania Jawahir.

In what Industries are people resigning? According to the BLS, the top fields most affected by the resignations are: leisure and hospitality; trade, transportation and utilities; professional and business services; and education and health services. The resignation rate is highest among lower paid employees.

Why are employees resigning? The resignations are attributed to a variety of factors, including ongoing health concerns. That is, some workers are worried about the pandemic and are hesitant to return to a workplace that is not 100% vaccinated. Parents also are still struggling with childcare needs. In addition, employees generally want to reduce stress and expenses where possible and seek flexible work arrangements that allow them to work from home partially or completely. Some workers have resigned to seek better compensation and benefits from employers who are desperate to fill positions. And some workers are simply looking for better work-life balance, recognition for their work, better company culture and values that align with theirs.

What can employers do to improve retention? While the benefits employers offer depends on the demographics of their workplace, there are several non-economic and, of course, economic benefits to consider. The two most popular ones are:

Flexible work options: The most demanded work benefit today is the ability to work from home. Research shows that employees desire flexibility in where and when they work. Many individuals are looking for entirely remote jobs that allow them to work from any location. Hybrid arrangements that allow workers to work from home a couple of days each week are popular in businesses where entirely remote choices are not viable. Flexible work hours, such as allowing employees to work during non-traditional hours or compressed workweeks, may be an option for positions that cannot be done remotely.

Career development: Employees are more engaged when they believe their employer is invested in their professional development. To foster this, employers can: (1) emphasize several career paths within their organization, allowing employees to see what possibilities are available; and (2) employers can provide development tools like mentoring and coaching to help employees achieve their objectives.

If you have questions about what you can do to improve your employee retention, contact a member of Carmody’s Labor and Employment team.

About the authors: Nick Zaino is a partner and co-practice group leader of Carmody Torrance Sandak & Hennessy LLP's business services group. Romania Jawahir is a non-lawyer member of the firm’s labor and employment practice, pursuing an MBA with a concentration in Human Resources Management.

For more information or to secure your ad, please contact Communications Director David Huck at (203)-757-0701 Ext. 309 or at dhuck@waterburychamber.com